At 24, Edouard Philipponnat has already worked with powerhouse director Ridley Scott twice and his latest project Napoleon has him going toe to toe with the likes of Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby.
20.11.2023 - 15:05 / variety.com
Zack Sharf Digital News Director Ridley Scott is shrugging off the negative reviews coming out of France for his new historical epic “Napoleon,” which stars Joaquin Phoenix as the infamous French emperor and Vanessa Kirby as his wife, Joséphine de Beauharnais. Reviews are all over the place for the biographical drama.
The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw gave it five stars, for instance, while French GQ wrote its “deeply clumsy, unnatural and unintentionally funny” to have French characters speaking in American accents. As recapped by the BBC, other French publications also targeted Scott’s latest.
The daily newspaper Le Figaro said the film could be renamed “Barbie and Ken Under the Empire,” while Napoleon biographer Patrice Gueniffey told Le Point magazine that Scott made a “very anti-French and very pro-British” rewrite of history. “The French don’t even like themselves” Scott told the BBC when presented with the negatives reviews coming out of France.
“The audience that I showed it to in Paris, they loved it.” “Napoleon” held its world premiere in Paris. Variety film critic Owen Gleiberman called the movie “bloated” in his review, adding: “While the dynamic between a stoic Joaquin Phoenix and smoldering Vanessa Kirby intrigues, the French emperor’s strange relationship with Josephine distracts from the director’s specialty: epic war footage.” Scott has taken many of the criticisms against “Napoleon” in stride during his press tour.
He went viral at the start of November for his dismissive reaction to a historian who was calling out some of the film’s historical inaccuracies. TV historian Dan Snow called out the film’s trailer and argued that “Napoleon didn’t shoot at the pyramids” (the trailer depicted as much during a
.At 24, Edouard Philipponnat has already worked with powerhouse director Ridley Scott twice and his latest project Napoleon has him going toe to toe with the likes of Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby.
Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Ridley Scott‘s “Napoleon” is a movie that French people love to hate. But despite harsh criticism in France, the historical epic smashed the box office and grossed over $9.76 million from 1.15 million tickets sold in its first two weeks in theaters.
Napoleon’s screenwriter, David Scarpa, has revealed that the opening scene of the movie was originally very “different”.In a recent interview with IndieWire, Scarpa has shared the creative process surrounding Ridley Scott’s new biopic, starring Joaquin Phoenix as the French Emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte.In the interview, Scarpa revealed details of Scott’s creative mind, nuances behind the film’s script and some of the challenges that faced the filmmakers.One detail upon which Scarpa opened up was regarding the film’s opening scene, which shows the execution of Marie Antoinette in 1793. In a four-star review, NME wrote that this “vivid and dramatic start sets the tone of a film that is never less than full-blooded”.However, when asked about this scene, Scarpa shared: “That’s not how we originally started it.
Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Ridley Scott’s historical epic “Napoleon” was cruelly defeated at the mainland Chinese box office, where it opened in only fifth place on its opening weekend. Chinese crime thriller “Across the Furious Sea” headed the mainland China charts for a second weekend, earning $20.0 million (RMB142 million), according to data from consultancy Artisan Gateway. “Napoleon” earned just $2.8 million ($19.6 million) in China, according to the firm whose figures are generally considered as final, not estimates. The film earned generally mixed to positive reviews, but only a middling score of 6.6 out of 10 from users of the Douban movie fan site. But it appears that Chinese audiences found the travails of an ancient French emperor to be too much of a specialist topic.
Ridley Scott returned to comfortably epic territory with Napoleon starring Joaquin Phoenix.The director’s latest film depicts the French leader’s rise to power, along with his turbulent relationship with Empress Joséphine (Vanessa Kirby) amid the French revolution.Napoleon was released in cinemas on November 22, 2023. An extended four-hour director’s cut is set to arrive on Apple TV+ at a later date.It marks Scott’s 28th feature film, following the likes of The Martian, Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, Alien and Blade Runner.Gladiator 2 will be Scott’s next film and his 29th feature as director.
Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent “Frenchie Shore,” the local adaptation of the popular American reality show “Jersey Shore,” rivaled Ridley Scott’s historical epic “Napoleon” as November’s most polarizing entertainment topic in France. Since launching on Paramount+ and MTV France on Nov. 11, the reality show has inundated social media, especially TikTok where users have been posting sexually explicit, yet blurred, clips from the show illegally.
Napoleon has made a strong start at the French box office despite some scathing reviews from French critics.The film – which stars Joaquin Phoenix as the famed French emperor – has received largely positive reviews internationally, though some French critics have slated the film.French GQ called it “deeply clumsy, unnatural and unintentionally funny”, while Le Figaro compared it to “Barbie and Ken under the Empire”.Nevertheless, it took $1.019million (£810,000) during its opening day in France last week (via Variety) – accounting for nearly a third of international takings – before making a total $5.6million (£4.44million) over its first five days.Its weekend takings also make France one of the biggest international markets for Napoleon, second behind the UK with $6.6million (£5.23million), according to ScreenDaily.Last week, director Ridley Scott hit back at French critics of the film, telling the BBC: “The French don’t even like themselves”.He added: “The audience that I showed it to in Paris, they loved it.”Scott also previously hit back at historian Dan Snow’s criticism of the film, after the latter broke down Napoleon‘s historical inaccuracies.“Get a life,” the director said. “I tend to be visual above all things, before the written word.”Napoleon focuses on the emperor’s rise to power and his relationship with Empress Joséphine (Vanessa Kirby).
Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter Ridley Scott’s historical epic “Napoleon” may not have conquered the top spot in North America, but it emerged victorious at the worldwide box office. The film, starring Joaquin Phoenix as the infamous French ruler, debuted to $78.8 million, including $46.3 million internationally — enough to stave off the competition on global charts.
Ridley Scott’s Napoleon through Thursday has grossed an estimated $21M worldwide. The Apple Original Films and Sony Pictures action epic is now eyeing a $70M-$73M five-day global opening, including $40M from the international box office. Should those numbers hold, this will be well ahead of pre-weekend projections.
Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Despite being plagued by harsh reviews from French critics and a derisive retaliation by director Ridley Scott, “Napoleon” had a strong opening in France on Wednesday, grossing an estimated €868,000 ($946,000) from approximately 120,000 admissions. The figure, unveiled by Comscore France, includes about 8,000 tickets sold at preview screenings across France, notably in Paris where Sony Pictures held a lavish world premiere of the historical epic on Nov.
Jordan Moreau Disney is wishing upon a box office star this Thanksgiving, as its latest animated movie “Wish” takes on Apple’s historical drama “Napoleon.” “Wish” is expected to come out on top this weekend, but “Napoleon” won the first box office battle in previews. “Napoleon” made $3 million in previews, which began on Tuesday due to the Thanksgiving holiday, and “Wish” made $2.3 million. The family friendly animated movie about Disney’s iconic wishing star is expected to make $35 million over the typical weekend.
Joaquin Phoenix‘s new epic movie Napoleon, directed by Ridley Scott, is now playing in theaters and you might be wondering if there’s a post-credits scene.
Ridley Scott has fired back at French film critics after they published a series of negative reviews of his new biopic, Napoleon.Despite receiving generally positive reviews by UK critics, several high-profile French publications have been less kind, with French GQ saying it was “deeply clumsy, unnatural and unintentionally funny”, while Le Figaro likened it to “Barbie and Ken under the Empire”.In an interview with the BBC, Scott retorted: “The French don’t even like themselves”.“The audience that I showed it to in Paris, they loved it.”Joaquin Phoenix plays Napoleon Bonaparte in the film, which hits UK cinemas on Wednesday (November 22). It follows the French leader’s rise to power and his relationship with Empress Joséphine (Vanessa Kirby). Other cast members include Tahar Rahim, Ben Miles and Rupert Everett.It is not the first time that Scott has made headlines during the promotion for Napoleon.
Ridley Scott is a man who has earned the right to be a bit… brash with his comments. This is a right given to someone who has created multiple iconic films over the course of his career, literally inspiring generations of filmmakers with works like “Alien” and “Blade Runner.” So, when critics start taking him to task because of “Napoleon,” he clearly couldn’t care less.
Ridley Scott has been typically dismissive of critics taking issue with his forthcoming movie Napoleon, particularly French ones.
Ridley Scott’s Napoleon marches into cinematic battle with the bluster and confidence that comes with a reported $200-million budget and Sir Ridley’s decades-deep track record of well-mounted action epics.All that money and prestige is visible onscreen in the film’s far-flung locations, hundreds of extras, delectable period costumes and decor, and, as advertised, several massively-scaled scenes of battle, on land and sea, circa 1789 to 1815.Legions of infantry and cavalry clash on various rolling hills of Europe, shot in icy, desaturated blues and grays by Dariusz Wolski, Scott’s cinematographer on his last nine films (though not his next one, Gladiator 2, being lensed by Gladiator d.p. John Mathieson).Against vast fields of green or snow-covered grasses, and CGI-enhanced masses of combatants, soldiers’ coats flash a red that’s many shades brighter than the blood that flows and bursts violently across the screen.The filmmakers spare no visual detail in depicting the bodily devastation of hand-to-hand armed combat — death by bayonet, point-blank gunfire, horse hooves, or long-range artillery.Death here is bloody, disgusting, and woefully unnecessary, but it’s also the main currency of war, and this movie revels in the loud, explosive spectacle of war far more enthusiastically than it casts its feebly critical eye at the men who clamor for it.Above all else, the film renders tribute to Napoleon Bonaparte, portrayed by Oscar-winner Joaquin Phoenix as a shrewd but coarse, fearless, petulant, glowering egomaniac who rises to imperial power fighting and winning wars.
EXCLUSIVE: Getting a leg-up here on our Thanksgiving stretch preview, Apple Studios production of Ridley Scott’s Napoleon will invade the global box office via Sony this Wednesday, in what’s shaping up to be a $46M WW global start.
Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara are stepping out for the night.
Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief The Ridley Scott-directed historical epic “Napoleon” is set to get a release in mainland Chinese theaters next month. The Apple Original Films and Sony Pictures’ title has received approval for import into China and release in a Dec. 1 slot, Sony said on Thursday. Per a Sony synopsis, the film “details the checkered rise and fall of the iconic French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, played by Oscar-winner Joaquin Phoenix.
Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby are stepping out for the UK premiere of their new movies.